Exercise Induced Bronchospasm
Wait, isn’t this the same thing as asthma?
It is also known as exercise induced asthma, but exercised induced bronchospasm (EIB) is separate from asthma. There are children with asthma that also have EIB, and there are children who only have EIB.
What causes EIB?
There are a few different theories for how EIB is triggered, including cooling or drying of the airway. We do know, however, that the end result is bronchospasm, which makes it difficult to breathe. It can show up as wheezing, cough, chest pain, not performing well, or not recovering at a normal pace.
While any sport can trigger EIB, anaerobic sports (short, high intensity activities like weight lifting or sprinting) are less likely to trigger than aerobic sports (less intensity, but longer duration such as cross country skiing or running). Also, sports that are performed in warm humid environments (such as swimming) are less likely to cause EIB than sports in cold dry environments (such as cross country skiing).
How is EIB diagnosed?
For the most part EIB is diagnosed by history and exam. Occasionally, if the diagnosis is in question, or if the general treatment for EIB doesn’t work, then testing may be done including labs, exercise challenges, imaging, and even looking with a scope if needed.
How is it treated?
The first treatment is usually with albuterol taken prior to exercise. Ideally, it will allow the child to get through the activity without any symptoms. If that doesn’t work well enough, then other medications can be used, similar to those used in asthma – other inhalers, or possibly oral medicines.
Since EIB can have a particular pattern to each episode, it can be possible to time the warm up, medication, and activity so that the least amount of symptoms occur during the activity.
Non medical treatments include alternate breathing techniques – breathing mostly through the nose instead of the mouth, and choosing sports less likely to cause symptoms.
Bottom line.
Exercise induced bronchospasm is a condition where a child has trouble breathing with exercise. It can be treated. Talk to your pediatrician.
Links.
